[Usability] Re: Keyboard navigation- outstanding issues

["Padraig O'Briain" <Padraig Obriain sun com>]

> To: "Padraig O'Briain" <Padraig Obriain sun com>
> Cc: usability gnome org, gnome-accessibility-list gnome org, 
gtk-devel-list gnome org, calum benson sun com
> Subject: Re: Keyboard navigation- outstanding issues
> User-Agent: Gnus/5.0807 (Gnus v5.8.7) Emacs/20.7
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> 
> 
> "Padraig O'Briain" <Padraig Obriain sun com> writes:
> 
> > > Well, having collated the responses I got on- and off-list, predictably
> > > enough, there was some difference of opinion  :o)  However, here's a
> > > summary of what consensus there was:
> > > 
> > > Issue 1: Most support was shown for the idea of allowing the developer
> > > to choose whether tab characters should be allowed in individual text
> > > entry fields or not, by means of a flag or similar.  If they're allowed,
> > > Tab key inserts a tab character, and [Shift+]Ctrl+Tab navigates out of
> > > the field.  If they're not allowed, [Shift+]Tab and [Shift+]Ctrl+Tab
> > > both navigate out of the field.  Default should be 'not allowed'.  
> > > (Perhaps should be 'tab characters allowed' for multiline fields?)
> > > 
> > > Problem: This would presumably mean an unplanned gtk patch :o)
> >
> > I am working on a patch to GtkEntry and GtkTextView for this. Implementation 
of 
> > [Shift]Ctrl+Tab will depend on a previous patch for changing the behavior of 
> > GtkNotebook being accepted.
> 
> Well, the patch adding the magic "supports-focus-out" data keys is
> _not_ going to be accepted. But we can add something to the same
> effect, if that's necessary.
> 
> It seems to me that from a accessibility/useability standpoint,
> saying:
> 
>  Ctrl-Tab means focus-next-tab within the notebook unless you
>  are inside an entry with tabs allowed or inside a GtkTextView
>  in which case it means "really focus the next widget".
> 
> Is rather strange. I would think we shoulddecide on a single meaning
> for Ctrl-Tab and find some other key shortcut for the other use.
> But maybe that's just "it must be logical" programmer think.
>  

My understanding is that Ctrl+Tab means move the focus out of the current 
control, if that makes sense. This is the intention for GtkNotebook where 
Ctrl+Tab should move the focus from a control inside a notebook to the first 
control after the notebook. For GtkEntry and GtkTextView it will move the focus 
out of the current widget and on to the next widget.

> > The default behavior for GtkTextView is allow_tab_character so I will assume 
> > that is the correct default for multiline fields.
> 
> I'm a little confused; GtkTextView doesn't have a allow_tab_character
> property or anything equivalent. Do you mean "the only behavior
> for GtkTextView currently is to allow tabs so if we add
> a allow_tab_character property it should default to TRUE?

I have the code written to define an allow_tab_character property with a default 
value of TRUE for GtkTextView but I was hoping to get a view of whether my 
earlier code changes were along the right lines before submitting more code 
changes.

Padraig

>  
> Regards,
>                                         Owen